INTRODUCTION Good evening!

The principle of legality is a core value, a human right but also a fundamental defense in criminal law prosecution according to which no crime or punishment can exist without a legal ground. Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege is in fact a guarantee of human liberty; it protects individuals from abuse and unjust interference, it ensures the fairness and transparency of the judicial authority. Is internet libel a punishable act? Is there any offense or penalty provided by for it? Generally, libel is a crime punishable under the revised penal code. It is committed by anyone who maliciously and irresponsibly circulate a statement imputing against another some baseless and ungrounded infamous, shameful and disgraceful professional and personal attributes which has necessarily ruined petitioners good name and reputation as a member of the society and as a person. The law is very specific that libel can only be committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition or any similar means. The medium of internet is not expressly mentioned among the means specified in the law and it does not qualify under the general provision or any other similar means. DISCUSSIONS LAW particularly criminal law is an exact science that's why laws are written in such convoluted language, to make it absolutely clear what the law means, with no ambiguity. The manner the law is used shall adhere to those crimes, modes, methods and penalties imposed therein at the time and date

of its effectivity unless repealed or subsequent enactments in order to update existing laws to keep abreast the development in technology. Article 1 of the Revised Penal Code speaks of the Time when Act takes effect. It provides that the Revised Penal Code shall take effect on the first day of January, nineteen hundred and thirty-two, thus, the law penalizes the crimes committed in accordance to the expressed and general provisions of the law at the time of its effectivity. Under Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code provides that libel is committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, X X X. The phrase or any other means under Article 355 does connotes all other methods or manners of attributing malicious remarks that constitute libel. The code has been roughly a century old since its effectivity. Obviously, the means referred therein are that that were on hand and does not qualify to include those were not yet determined. Computers were in its inception phase, its used or application was nonetheless hopeless. Clearly, the use of computer was not likely to contemplate the intention of the framers of the law to qualify under the phrase or any other means of said Article. The law should be construed in its factual sense so that it will not obscure the real intention of the law as the intention of its framers is the spirit of the law. The law requires enactment for the opportunity to include other means that are consequence of the development in technology. CONCLUSION No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of libel committed online because under the law, it does not constitute a penal

offence up to now. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.